Time delay relay



June 14 1966 w. F. MAHRDT 3,256,411

TIME DELAY RELAY Filed Feb. 17, 1964 24 A TTORNE YS United States Patent 3,256,411 TIME DELAY RELAY William F. Mahrdt, 215 Vulcan Ave., Encinitas, Calif. Filed Feb. 17, 1964, Ser. No. 345,158 9 Claims. (Cl. 200-122) The present invention relates to a time delay circuit controller.

The controller of the present invention comprises a base which carries a contact or contacts and a plurality of uprights. A switch contact actuating arm is pivotally connected to the upper ends of the uprights; this arm extends downwardly and carries a contact which is adapted to engage the contact or contacts carried by the base. A heating element is disposed in heat exchange relationship with one of the uprights for effecting expansion mined such bias is maintained by fastening one or the other of the legs of the braces to one or the other of the upright. For example: After the vertically extending legs thereof relative to the other upright when the element is l heated to thereby cause movement of the arm and the contact carried thereby.

Specically, each of the uprights is provided with confronting notches at the upper ends thereof and the upper end of the contact arm is provided with beads which lie within the notches to thus provide pivotal connection with the uprights.

Other features and the advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein a preferredembodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawing:

FIG. l is a side view of the controller with the cover removed;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the controller with the cover removed;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the controller;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2, but showing the cover in section; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional View t-aken along line 5 5 of FIG. 1.

Referring more in detail `to the drawing, the controller is shown at 20. It comprises a base 22 formed of dielectric material, preferably of the thermo-setting type ywhereby it is inherently rigid. The base is provided with an integral and downwardly extending plug 24. This plug is cylindrical except for a longitudinally extending rib 26 and is adapted to tit in a cylindrically shaped socket (not shown) having a slot for receiving the rib.

Two uprights 30 and 32 are carried by the base 22. The upright 30 is formed of stainlesssteel and is C-shaped in cross section having integral sections 34, 36 and 38 to form a channel for rigidity. The upright 30 includes an integral base 40 extending from the mid section 36 and h-aving the edges thereof welded to the side sections 34 and 38. The base 40 is drilled to receive the upper end of a post 42. This post is suitably embedded in the base 22 and extends therebelow.

The upright 32 is also formed of stainless steel and is shaped like upright 30 having sections 44, 46 and 48 and a base 50 whichbase is secured to the base 22 by a post 52 in the same manner as upright 30 is secured to base 22 byl post 42. A heating element in the form of Va resistance wire 54 is .in intimate heat exchange relationship with the midsection 46 of upright 32. This resistance wire 54 is in the form of a coil which surrounds a heat withstanding material such as a mica strip 56. The assembly of the strip 56 and wire coil 54 is held in place by a channel shaped stainless steel sheet 58 having sections 60, 62 and 64. The rnid section 62 abuts a mica strip 66; strip 66 is interposed between the mid section 62 and the coil 54 and abuts the coil. The side sections 60 and 64 are spot welded to side sections 44 and 48 of the upright 32.

Two L-shaped braces 68 are attached to uprights 30 and 32. Each has a horizontally extending leg 70 spot 72 are attached lto side sections of upright 32 and after the degree of bias is selected, the ends of legs 70 are spot welded to the side sections of upright 30.

Each of the uprights 30 and 32 is provided with a horizontally extending notch 74 (as viewed in FIGS. l and 4). These notches are disposed adjacent the tops of the uprights; they confront one another and are horizontally disposed. These notches receiveV-shaped beads 76 andV 77 which are disposed on the opposite sides and at the upper end of a contact actuating arm 78; 4these beads are formed by right angle bends in the contact arm 78 and are horizontally disposed and substantially complement the notches. The arm 78 is formed preferably from two elongated pieces of stainless steel sheets 80 and 81 which are welded vto one another. The lower ends of the sheets 80 and 82 are each provided with two spaced apart right angularly bent portions 84. These portions extending vertically and the portions-of sheet from the like portions of sheet 82.' vide a contact 84.

The top of the base 22 carries two conductors 86 and These portions pro- 88. Each conductor is formed, respectively, by a strip of metal, such as beryllium copper, which is bent back on itself to form two legs 90 and 92. These legs are superimposed and extend horizontally. The ends of the legs are bent to extend vertically to provide contacts 94 and 96 for conductor- 8.6 vland contacts 98 and 100 for conductor 88. The contacts 94 and 96 are spaced horizontally from one another; likewise contacts 98 and 100 are spaced from one another. The -pair of contacts 94 and 96 are disposed to receive contact 84, when `the contact actuating arm is moved to one position and the pair of contacts 98 and 100 aredisposed to receive contact 84 when the arm V78 is moved to another position. The conductors 86 and 88, being formed of resilient material, frictionally engage the Contact 84- when the contact 84 is disposed between a pair of contacts 94 and 96. or 98 and 100l That portion of the conductor 86, which is adjacent th'e joint of .the legs thereof, is connected, as by silver solder,

to the top of a post 102. This post is embedded in the base 22 and extends therebelow. Likewise conductor` 88 is connected in the same manner to a like post 104.

The ends of the heating coil 54 are connected, respec- I tively, through Nichrome standard method with the These posts are embedded below.

The heating and cooling of heatedcoil 54 will cause relative heating and cooling of uprights 30 with respect t-o upright 32, resulting iu relative expansion and contraction of upright 32 with respect to upright 30. The heating of upright 32 will cause the left bead 76 -to be raised relative to the right bead 77, causing a clockwise movement to be imparted to contact arm 78, resulting in contact 84 engaging contacts 94 and 96. Upon cooling of ythe coil 54, contact 84 will be separated from contacts 94 and 96, and then upon further cooling of the coil, contact 84 will engage contacts 98 and 100.

If desirable, the resiliency of the stationary contacts may be of such value that they restrain movement of the contact 84 whereby a quick breaking of the current can be elfected or a quick breaking and making of the current can be effected.

If desirable an endless clip 110 can be provided which ribbons (not shown) and in the in the base 22 and extend thereextend outwardly v top ends of posts 106 and 108.

encircles the uprights 30 and 32. The confronting inner edges 112 of the clip Iare shaped to bite into the uprights whereby preventing separation of the uprights from one another.

The base 22 is provided with a stepped circular periphery as shown at 114 to receive the lower edge of a circular cover 116.

From the foregoing it is apparent that there has been provided a study time delay controller which is reliable and inexpensive to manufacture. The posts heretofore mentioned form plugs which are received by an electrical socket (not shown).

While the form of embodiment herein shown and described, constitutes preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms may be adopted falling within the scope of the claims that follow.

I claim:

1. A time delay circuit controller, comprising in combination:

(A) a base;

(B) a plurality of uprights carried by the base;

(C) a contact actuating arm pivotally connected to the upper ends of the uprights, said arm extending downwardly toward the base;

(D) a contact at the lower end of the arm;

(E) a contact carried by the base in contactable position with the first mentioned contact;

(F) and a heating element juxtaposed with and in heat exchange relationship with Vone of said uprights;

(G) and means for xing the lower ends of the uprights with one another.

2. A time delay circuit controller, comprising in combination:

(A) a base;

(B) a plurality of uprights carried by the base;

(l) said uprights each having transverse notches,

said notches confronting one another;

(C) a contact actuating arm having beads lying Within said notches, said uprights being biased toward one lnother, said arm extending downwardly toward the ase;

(D) a contact at the lower end of the arm;

(E) a contact carried by the base in contactable position with the first mentioned contact;

(F) and a heating element juxtaposed with and in heat exchange relationship with one of said uprights;

(G) and means for fixing the lower ends of the uprights'with one another.

3. A time delay controller as defined in claim 1, characterized to include:

(G) and an L-shaped brace having one leg thereof connected with the other of said uprights throughout substantially the entire length `thereof and having the other leg fixed to said one upright.

4. A time delay controller as defined in claim 2, characterized to include:

(G) and an L-shaped brace having one leg thereof connected with the other of said uprights throughout substantially the entire length thereof and having the other leg fixed to said one upright.

5. A` time delay controller as defined in claim 1, characterized to include:

(G) means adjacent the upper ends of the uprights for preventing movement of said uprights away from one another.

6. A time delay controller as defined in claim S, characterized in that said means comprises a clip having shoulders engage the uprights.

7. A time delay controller as defined in claim 5, characterized in ythat s-aid means comprises a clip encircling and embracing the uprights.

8. A time delay controller as defined in claim 4, characterized to include:

(H) means adjacent the upper ends of the uprights for preventing movement of said uprights away from one another.

9. A time delay controller -as defined in claim 4, characterized to include:

(H) a clip encircling and embracing the upper ends of the uprights.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,022,917 12/1935 Larkin et al 308-2 Xl 2,256,318 9/1941 Hadley 308-2 2,396,462 3/ 1946 Grace et al 308-2 X 2,817,731 12/1957 DeFlaco 20G-122 2,928,918 3/1960 Payne 200-122 l3,038,049 6/ 1962 Fritts 200--122 3,129,306 4/1964 Perkins et al 20G-122 BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner.

L. A. WRIGHT, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A TIME DELAY CIRCUIT CONTROLLER, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) A BASE; (B) A PLURALITY OF UPRIGHTS CARRIED BY THE BASE; (C) A CONTACT ACTUATING ARM PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE UPPER ENDS OF THE UPRIGHTS, SAID ARM EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY TOWARD THE BASE; (D) A CONTACT AT THE LOWER END OF THE ARM; (E) A CONTACT CARRIED BY THE BASE IN CONTACTABLE POSITION WITH THE FIRST MENTIONED CONTACT; 